From Russia

via Olya Ivanova

Olya Ivanova visits small Russian towns and documents their traditions with her skilled eye. Lovely.

Lately, I have had Russia on the brain again. So much. For a while, and maybe because the Cambodia move was looming, eclipsing everything with its mix of panic and excitement, with its lead-heavy weight of hope and uncertainty, my fascination with that region of the world quieted down.

It is back. There's so much Russian-something in this city: Russian Boulevard, Russian Market, Russian restaurants. I'm still trying to get into the Russian language course taught at the Russian Embassy in Phnom Penh. Last weekend, Rachel and I tried the Russian/Uzbekistan restaurant. And Shriya, in her farewell, left me several books, including "Imperium," by Ryszard Kapuscinski. His recount of his childhood, of his travels to former USSR republics, of his journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway, its expanse and immeasurable vastness . . . it takes hold of me, draws me in, once again.